A Wedding
Rowan leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, that irritatingly smug expression back on his face. “Ah, back to your usual hate me face, I see,” he said, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.
My frown deepened, anger bubbling up as I felt the heat rise to my cheeks. “You’re insufferable,” I snapped.
“What, no ‘good morning’?” he asked, tilting his head with a slight smirk. “After last night, I’d think we’d moved past that.”
Without thinking, I stepped forward and slapped him, my hand stinging as it connected with his cheek. His head turned slightly from the impact, but the smirk never left his face.
“Feel better?” he asked, his voice laced with sarcasm.
“You... you arrogant—”
“Careful, Remi,” he cut in, straightening and looking at me with a steady, unreadable gaze. “You might hurt my feelings.”
I let out a frustrated noise, grabbing my things and shoving them into my bag as quickly as possible. “I don’t even know what I was thinking,” I muttered, mostly to myself. “I must have completely lost my mind.”
Rowan watched me calmly, clearly entertained. “Guess I’ll take that as a compliment.”
I shot him a glare, gripping the strap of my bag as I moved toward the door. “Not that you care, but I regret every second of this.”
“Oh, I could tell,” he replied, his smirk widening. “But hey, it was mutual fun, right? You might as well enjoy it while you can.”
I let out an angry breath, my hand clenching on the door handle. “Don’t flatter yourself, Rowan.”
He raised an eyebrow, clearly unbothered. “It’s a little late for that, isn’t it?”
I didn’t waste another second. I flung the door open and marched out, the sting of regret and frustration settling over me. I could feel his eyes on my back as I walked down the hallway, but I refused to look back. This whole thing was a mistake, and the sooner I got away, the better.
---
By the time I got to the hotel lobby, I was practically shaking with anger. The disbelief, the regret, it all twisted inside me, making it hard to think straight. I pushed the doors open, stepping out into the cool morning air and grabbing my phone. Asher’s name was at the top of my contacts, and I dialed it before I could talk myself out of it.
The line rang once before he picked up. “Remi?” His voice was immediately cautious, like he knew something was off.
“It’s a long story, but I need to talk to someone,” I muttered, pacing the sidewalk as I tried to collect my thoughts.
“What happened? Are you okay?” Asher’s tone shifted, concerned.
I took a deep breath. “I’m fine, I just... I made a huge mistake. I went out with Claire last night, got drunk, and… I don’t know how it happened, but I ended up... with Rowan.”
Asher was silent for a moment, and I could practically feel his disapproval through the phone. “Rowan Vaughn?”
“Yes,” I groaned, running a hand through my hair. “It was stupid. I don’t even know what I was thinking.”
“Remi,” he began, his voice tense. “You know that’s… complicated. More complicated than you probably want to admit.”
“I know,” I said, feeling my stomach twist. “I didn’t plan it, I just—things got out of hand.”
He let out a long sigh. “Did he say anything? About... about you two, or Larry?”
“No, nothing. He just—he just acted like this was some joke,” I said bitterly. “Like it didn’t matter at all. It was just... fun to him.”
“Are you surprised?” Asher asked quietly.
I paused, the truth settling in. “No, I guess I’m not. But it doesn’t make it any easier.”
“I get that,” Asher replied, his tone softening. “But you know better than anyone that getting close to him again is dangerous. You’re playing with fire.”
“Yeah,” I muttered. “I just… I don’t know what got into me.”
Asher sighed again, and I could tell he was choosing his words carefully. “Look, Remi, I’m not judging you. But think about what’s at stake here, okay? You’ve worked hard to build a life for yourself, Laura and Larry. Don’t let him throw you off balance.”
I nodded, though he couldn’t see me. “You’re right. I just… I guess I needed to hear it.”
“Good,” he replied firmly. “Now, go home, take a shower, and forget about him. You’ve got a wedding to prepare for, right?”
I smiled slightly, grateful for his grounding presence. “Yeah. I do.”
“Then focus on that,” Asher said. “Claire’s counting on you to be there for her.”
“Thanks, Asher,” I said, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. “I’ll see you soon.”
---
Back at the hotel, I found myself going through the motions of getting ready for Claire’s wedding. My phone buzzed constantly with reminders, last-minute messages from Claire, and a few unanswered calls from Rowan, which I promptly ignored.
Claire greeted me in the bridal suite, practically glowing with excitement. “There you are!” she exclaimed, wrapping me in a tight hug. “I was starting to think you wouldn’t make it.”
I laughed, forcing a smile. “Of course I’d be here. How could I miss it?”
“Good, because I need my maid of honor by my side!” Claire said, grabbing my hands and squeezing them. “Are you ready for this?”
I took a deep breath, focusing on the excitement in her eyes rather than the chaos in my mind. “Absolutely. I’m all yours today.”
Claire grinned, pulling me over to where her dress was hanging. “Thank God, because I need all the help I can get. My hair’s a disaster, my makeup artist is late, and if I have to hear my mother tell me one more time about how she would’ve chosen a different floral arrangement, I might scream.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “Alright, let’s fix this. Sit down, and let me handle the details.”
---
After an hour of sorting through last-minute wedding details and trying to keep Claire calm, I was finally able to take a breather. I slipped away for a moment, needing a few minutes of quiet before the ceremony began.
As I leaned against the wall, Claire came up beside me, a curious smile on her face. “So... anything you want to tell me?”
I looked at her, feigning confusion. “Tell you? About what?”
She raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “Oh, come on, Remi. You think I don’t know when something’s up with you?”
I sighed, glancing away. “It’s nothing, Claire. Just… some personal stuff. Nothing I want to drag into your big day.”
Claire’s expression softened. “Remi, I’m your friend. You can talk to me about anything. You know that, right?”
I nodded, taking a shaky breath. “It’s... it’s just Rowan. We crossed paths, things got a little... messy, and now I’m just trying to deal with it.”
Her eyes widened slightly, but she quickly composed herself. “Rowan Vaughn?” she asked in a whisper, looking around as if he might pop up at any moment.
“Yeah,” I muttered, rubbing my temples. “It’s a long story.”
“Oh, Remi…” She squeezed my arm, her face a mix of sympathy and surprise. “That’s... complicated.”
“You’re telling me,” I said, laughing without humor. “I just want to forget the whole thing and move on.”
“Well,” Claire said, patting my shoulder, “there’s nothing like a wedding to remind you of new beginnings, right?”
I smiled, nodding. “Right. Today’s about you.”
“Exactly.” She took a deep breath, her nervous excitement returning. “Now, you better get back in there, because I need you with me every step of the way.”
---
By the time the ceremony began, I’d managed to shove my frustrations to the back of my mind. Claire looked stunning, and the way her husband-to-be gazed at her as she walked down the aisle brought tears to my eyes.
As I stood beside her, holding her bouquet while she exchanged vows, I felt a bittersweet pang. This was happiness, the kind of connection everyone hoped to find. And here I was, still tangled up in the mess of my past.
When the vows were exchanged and the guests applauded, Claire squeezed my hand, her smile radiating pure joy. For the first time that day, I felt a genuine smile stretch across my face. For her, I could set everything else aside.
As we moved on to the reception, Asher joined me at one of the tables, eyeing me carefully. “How’s the maid of honor holding up?”
I sighed, managing a small smile. “Doing my best. Claire deserves a perfect day.”
“She’s lucky to have you by her side,” he said, nudging me gently. “Just remember that everything else can wait. Today, you’re here for her—and only her.”
I nodded, feeling the weight of his words sink in. “You’re right. Today’s not about me or... or anyone else.”
Asher raised a glass, his smile warm.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
